Preferred Biosimilar Products
Erythropoiesis-Stimulating-Agents (ESA) &
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors (C-GSFs)
Preferred Biosimilar Products
Effective June 1, 2019, Retacrit® (epoetin alfa-epbx) will be the preferred erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) on the CenCal Health Formulary. Epogen® and Procrit® will be removed from the CenCal Health formulary and will require a prior authorization indicating a trial/failure of the preferred ESA product.
Effective June 1, 2019, Zarxio® (filgrastim-sndz), Nivestym® (fligrastim-aafi), Fulphila® (pegfilgrastim-jmdb) and Udenyca® (pegfilgrastim-sbqv) will be the preferred Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors (C-GSFs) on the CenCal Health Formulary. Neupogen® and Neulasta® will be removed from the CenCal Health formulary and will require a prior authorization indicating a trial/failure of the preferred C-GSF product.
Biosimilar Facts:
- Biosimilars are biologic medicines that are highly similar to their reference biologic, demonstrating no clinically meaningful differences in safety, purity, and potency comparted to that of the reference product.
- All Biosimilar Products have been approved by the FDA
- Biosimilars are not interchangeable with the reference products and will require a new prescription from the prescriber
Please contact CenCal Health Pharmacy Department with questions at (805) 562-1080
Opioid Update 2019
Opioid Naïve-Acute Pain Day Supply Limit
With the approval of CenCal Health's Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and in coordination with its Pharmacy Benefits Manager (MedImpact), CenCal Health continues to implement a multiphase plan to deter overutilization of opioids, and update utilization management measures.
Effective 4/1/2019 CenCal Health will implement an opioid naïve edit that will limit initial opioid prescriptions to a 7-day supply. Patients will be identified as opioid naïve by looking back into the member's claim history for an opioid prescription fill in the past 60 days. Further details on the opioid naïve edit will be available in March.
2019 Formulary Updates